Door aligning device



Sept. 27, 1960 P. H. NELSON 2,953,809

DOOR ALIGNING DEVICE Filed April 11, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR PAUL H. NE L SON BY i TTORNEY5 Sept. 27, 1960 P. H. NELSON DOORALIGNINGosvm 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 11, 1958 FIG.6

INVENTOR PA UL H NELSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent DOOR ALIGNINGDEVICE I Paul H. Nelson, Plainville, Conn, assignor to The StanleyWorks, New Britain, 'Conn., a corporation of Connecticut 1 Filed Apr.11, 1958, Ser. No. 728,014

'4 Claims. (Cl. 16-1) This invention relates to an aligning deviceparticularly adapted for use on folding doors of the type commonly usedon closet openings, passageways, or the like and having hinges guided bya track extending along a header and a free bottom edge which may moveout of alignment with the door frame as panel warpage develops.

Major objects are to provide improved door panel aligning hardwareadapted forcibly to align a warped panel as his swung toward a doorjamb; to prevent panel vibration and attendant rattle frequently causedby breezes; which is neat in appearance, easy to install, low inmanufacturing cost, light in weight, and dependable in operation.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top view of a two panel folding door in closed positionbetween door jambs which are shown in section, with one of the panelsand an adjacent, jamb provided with a warp correcting deviceincorporating the invention.

Fig. 2 shows in perspective view the door of Fig. l i

swung partially open. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the detailsof the panel aligning device of Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are fragmentary views in horizontal section of thefree lower end of the outer panel and adjacent jamb of Figs. 1 and 2showing the panel aligning device in the various positions assumedduring door closure.

As shown in Fig. 2, a two panel folding door is mounted in a doorway 10,framed by header 11 and jambs 11a and 11b. Panel 12 has one edgepivotally mounted adjacent jamb 11b in known manner by upper and lowerfixtures 13 and 13a respectively. Panel 14 has an edge connected to theouter edge of panel 12 by spaced hinges 19, the pins 20 of which arepositioned laterally of the panel surfaces as shown in Fig. l. The topof panel 14 is provided, near its unhinged edge, with a guide bearing21, slidable within a channel 22 in a track fixture 23 secured to header11 to guide panel 14 toward jambs 11a. With panels 12 and 14 swung intoalignment, bearing 21 engages and compresses a resilient stop 24, heldby bracket 25, and by reason of the laterally positioned hinge pins 20,the resulting compressive forces urge the panels toward those pins toplace the panels under a beyond center compression lock, which may bebroken by forcing one of the panels in a direction to move the hingepins beyond center? in the opposite direction, panel 12 being providedwith a recessed knob 54 to thus close and open the door.

The top of panel 14, being track guided, will remain of the bottomportions thereof in respect to an adjacentjamb to give an unsightlyappearance to the door when closed- 'The invention assures properalignment of the free bottom edge of a warped track guidedpanel with thetop thereof, assuming warpage within limits normally encountered. 1 Fig.2 shows the lower free edge of panel 14 provided with an aligning device30 for co-operative engagement with a bracket 32, fixed to extendtransversely of the inner face of jamb 11a. As best shown in Fig. 3,device 30 comprises a plate 33, apertured at 34 for screw attachment tothe free edge of panel 14 and provided 'with knuckles 37, 37apositioning a pintle 35 laterally of panel 14 for the pivotal support ofa pressure arm 36. The outer end of arm 36 defines knuckles 39, 39acarrying pintle 40 to rotationally support a guide roller 43. Helicalspring 45 encircles pintle 35 in channel 44 between knuckles 37, 37awith opposite end portions 47 and 48 anchored in channels not shown, butformed behind beads 50 and 51 on arm 36 and plate 33, respectively, tourge arm 36 outwardly of the end of panel 14 and toward bracket 32 tothe position of right angularity with plate 33 shown dotted in Fig. 3.Portions of pressure arm36 engage plate 33 when the arm and plate are atright angularity as shown in Fig. 4 to prevent further pivoting of arm36.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 best illustrate the manner in which the lower free endof a. warped panel 14 is properly aligned with jamb 11a. Bracket 32,suitably apertured to be fixed transversely of and along the inner face.of jamb 11a by screws as shown-in Fig. 4, includes a base portion 58provided at one end with an arm 57 to serve as a stop for guide roller43, and at the opposite end with an arm 61 for the support of a roller60 to serve as a panel bumper. "Fig. 4 illustrates a possible positionofroller 43 as a warped panel 14 swings toward jamb 11a, roller 43approaching bracket 32 at a positioncloser to stop 57 than it would wththe panel unwarped. Roller 43 contacts bracket base 58 on furtherpanelapproach, with resulting counter-clockwise pivoting of pressure arm 36as roller 43 moves into engagement with stop 57, Fig. 5, from whichposition the panel is toggled, during subsequent panel movement towardjamb 11a, to be forced against roller 60 upon full alignment of thepanels, as best shown in Fig. l, in which position the panels are heldin compressive lock as above described, the counterurge of spring 45being ineffective to break that lock. Upon retraction of panel 14 fromjamb 11a as the door is opened, arm 36, hence roller 43 swings back,under urge of spring 45, from the Fig. 6 to the Fig. 4 position. It isevident that plate 33 may be positioned in respect to the edge of panel14 properly to position roller 43 for correction of the amount of panelwarpage involved.

at the time of installation. 'Plate 33 preferably is mounted to positionroller 43 to approach stop 57 in spaced relation thereto to allow forfurther panel Warpage, which will be corrected as long as roller 43 isresaid device comprising a pivotally mounted pressure arm I v forattachment only to the leading edge of the panel,

whereby said am is freely movable about a line generally parallel tosaid leading edge, spring means biasing said arm forwardly of saidleading edge, an elongate bracket adapted for mounting transversely ofthe door jamb inner face toward which said panel moves, said bracketincluding a stop positioned on one side of the path of said panel to beengaged by the end of the arm and a bumper positioned on the other sideof the panel, the spacing between said roller and said other side. ofsaid panel being substantially equal to the spacing between said stopand said bumper when in door closed position whereby said bumper isengageable by said panel after the end of said arm is pivoted by forwardmovement of the panel to force the panel transversely of the jamb afterengagement of said arm with said stop.

2. A warp correcting mechanism for use with a folding door panel, saidmechanism comprising a pivotably mounted arm for attachment only to theleading edge of the panel for pivotal movement aobut a line parallelthereto, a roller mounted on the outer end of said arm, means biasingsaid arm forwardly of said leading edge, an elongate bracket adapted formounting to the inner face of a door jamb toward which said panel moves,said bracket including a stop portion projecting outwardly of the jamband a bumper spaced therefrom, said stop portion and bumper beingdisposed transversely of said jamb with the stop port-ion positioned onone side of the path of said panel to be engaged by said roller, saidbumper being positioned on the other side of said panel for engagementtherewith as said arm is pivoted by the forward movement of said panelfollowing roller engagement with said stop to force the paneltransversely of said jamb, the spacing between said roller and saidother side of said panel being substantially equal to the spacingbetween said stop and said bumper when in door closed position.

3. Means for aligning the free bottom portion of the outer panel of apair of interhinged doors, the top portion of which is track-guided formovement to and from a door jamb, said means comprising a pressure armmounted only on the bottom portion of said outer panel to pivot from aposition extending laterally of the panel to a position extendingforwardly thereof, means biasing said arm toward the forward position, aU-shaped bracket mounted transversely of the jamb on the inner jamb facein horizontal alignment with the pressure arm to provide a stop for theouter end of said arm and a bumper for the opposite wall of the panel,the spacing between the outer end of said arm and the opposite wall ofthe panel being substantially equal to the spacing between said stop andsaid bumper when in door closed position said stop being positionedoutwardly of the forward end of said pressure arm as the panel is movedtowards the jamb, whereby movement of said outer panel towards alignmentwith the inner panel results in engagement between said pressure arm andstop before complete alignment of said panels with further movement ofsaid outer panel into a position of complete alignment resulting in thepivoting of said arm in respect to said stop to force the panels awayfrom the stop and towards the bumper.

4. In a plural panel door of the folding type having a door jambassociated therewith, a door aligning device comprising a pressure arm,means for pivotally supporting said pressure arm solely on the leadingedge of said door for movement about an axis parallel to said leadingedge from, a first position extending forwardly of the leading edge ofsaid door to a second position pivotally displaced from said firstposition, a resilient roller supported 0n the free end of said pressurearm, said roller being rotatable about an axis parallel to that axisabout which the pressure arm is pivotably supported, a spring urgingsaid pressure arm into said first position, a bracket having a stopabutment at one end thereof extending towards the door, and means formounting said bracket transversely of the door jamb inner face forengagement by said roller during closing movement of the door saidpressure arm being dimensioned to align the leading edge of said doorwith said jamb when said roller engages said stop abutment in doorclosed position whereby said pressure arm pivots against the force ofsaid spring and said roller engages said stop abutment in closed doorposition to align the door with the door jamb.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS442,728 Wagner et a1. Dec. 16, 1890 1,318,433 Berardinelli Oct. 14, 19191,375,689 Gallagher Apr. 26, 1921 1,807,113 Winnans May 26, 19312,046,612 Devereaux July 7, 1936 2,226,037 Westcamp Dec. 24, 19402,712,150 Hodges July 5, 19

FOREIGN PATENTS 78,176 Norway Feb. 26, 1951

